In recent years, subscribers' use of cell phones has become more common. People carry their cell phones most everywhere they go. At the same time the capabilities of cell phones have markedly increased. Cell phones can now pass data, photographs, video, as well as other media. Subscribers commonly use their phones to send pictures and videos of events as they happen.
In a different arena, government agencies at the national and local levels are under increased pressure to reduce costs and maintain public services to taxpayers. Additionally, in the post 9/11 era, local law enforcement and homeland security agencies rely upon ordinary citizens to observe and report suspicious behavior or circumstances. Given the need for heightened security and the pressure to meet budget constraints, law enforcement and homeland security agencies would benefit from citizens participation in identifying threats as they occurred. Although a voice description of suspicious activities is good, the information provided by video, pictures and voice would be of greater assistance to local law enforcement authorities. Video and photographs provide an actual objective view of a perceived threat as opposed to a third person's voice interpretation of the threat. By analyzing recently obtained video, law enforcement officials may be able to decipher and immediately act upon real threats. Furthermore, multimedia phones may be used to capture municipal repair needs that may go unnoticed. For example, a motorist on a remote road may be able to provide to authorities immediate video evidence of a dangerous situation, such as, a large pothole, a downed power line or a fallen tree blocking a road. Authorities may be able to act promptly to rectify problem. Once again, authorities will have a picture or video of the problem that will provide authorities with greater information than a third person's description of the problem.
Thus a need exists for a way to provide mobile subscribers a way to inform local police, security, and municipal authorities of real-time events using video, pictures and/or voice.